This invention relates to apparatus and method for the compression and realignment of animal bone structures and passage of a drill pin through bone structures to retain them in a desired alignment, particularly in surgery of the human foot, hand and knee. Although not so limited, the apparatus and method of the invention have particular utility in the correction of splay foot deformity wherein the forepart of the foot is wider than normal.
In the surgical correction of splay foot deformity it is necessary to compress the forepart of the foot, thus realigning the metatarsal shafts, and then to drive a threaded drill pin through the fifth metatarsal head into the first metatarsal shaft or neck. Such an operation requires precise compression and realignment of the metatarsal shafts and precise insertion of the drill pin.
United States Pat. No. 3,441,017 discloses a jig for drilling through a tubular bone. U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,932 discloses a jig and drill assembly for inserting rigid shafts into fractured bones.